Hi, James! Welcome to planDisney!
A trip to
Walt Disney World Resort is always magical, but there's something extra special about visiting during the holiday season! I'm so glad to hear that you'll get to experience that holiday cheer this year!
Some holiday festivities may take place during regular theme park hours in the days right around Christmas. However, if you want to catch
Mickey's Once Upon a Christmastime Parade during the early part of the holiday season, you'll need to purchase tickets to
Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party. For the majority of the holiday season, Mickey's Once Upon a Christmastime Parade is performed exclusively at this
specially ticketed event.
We have yet to hear all of the details of this year's holiday celebration, so be sure to keep an eye on the
Disney Parks Blog for all of the latest news. While the schedule of activities at this year's Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party is not available just yet, I can give you an idea of what it might look like based on last year's parties. Last year, Mickey's Once Upon a Christmastime Parade was performed twice during each party night. I believe the first showing took place around 9:00 p.m. and the second parade was at 11:00 p.m. Again, show times haven't been confirmed for this year's parties, so be sure to check back closer to the holiday season for the most accurate information.
If two performances of Mickey's Once Upon a Christmastime Parade are offered, I recommend watching the second parade. Many families with younger children leave Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party on the earlier side, so if everyone in your group can stay up late, crowds for the second parade tend to be lighter. For lots of other holiday tips, be sure to check out the
Panel Extras section of our planDisney website, and if you have any additional questions, come visit us again.
Wishing you a magical Walt Disney World Resort holiday!
Samantha